I’m getting a gagillion hits today. Why? Not because some great post of mine has gotten picked up a bigger blog, but because I misspelled Terry Schiavo last week. I’m the number one google hit for Terry Shiavo, without the C.
If you have found your way here and would like more information about Terry Schiavo with a C, here are a couple of good links. Ampersand has had a post or two from the opposite perspective.
Taking a bizarre twist, this case is now in the hands of Congress. Divisions on this issue are falling along party line. Republicans are pushing to keep her feeding tubes in place; Democrats are advocating for its removal.
This seems to fit in very well with the other posts that I’ve written this past week on the party.
What the hell are Democrats thinking by pushing for Schiavo’s death? This is a loser issue. There is no clear cut case that Schiavo is brain dead or that she would have wanted to end her life this way. Even if the matter was more cut and dry, the right to die is still a loser issue. Why waste political capital on politically unpopular and ethically ambiguous issue?
Focus, people, focus. Let’s get back to talking about social equality, the state of urban life, education, the environment, promoting social justice in the world, whatever. Pulling the feeding tubes from this woman should not be the way that we define the Democratic party.
Apt. 11d 
Michael Schiavo needs to be the one who has his tube pulled. Greed is the only motivation for his cause. If he wants so badly to remarry, then divorce Terri! oh opps But that would mean releasing all funds for Terri to her new guardians. If he is not motivated by the money then why allow a human capable of feeling the slow death to have to go through that kind of torture as well as torturing her family. Micheal Schiavo you should be ashamed of yourself! this IS ATTEMPED MURDER and if you get your greedy pathetic way it will be MURDER!!! Your leading this charge you can stop it. Divorce Terri and your obligations to her will be over.
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I equate this feeding tube issue to baseball stars testifying: an absolute mockery of the system. Congress is turning into the House of Lords. I think we are closely approachign the point of where the beuracracy of either side just does nothign anymroe becuase both are concerned with tangental issues of the extremes of both sides.This is really just a bad idea and congress needs to focus on larger issues.
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How many of you not against the removal of the feeding tube would be willing to exist in a vegetative state for 15 YEARS?????
Who is paying for her care for all these years? Who pays for the care for all the other similar cases which aren’t so well known?
I agree with Kip. The Congress looks ridiculous and totally inefective intervening in matters such as these.
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Just my own thoughts on Terry Schiavo.
Can you imagine being in a persistent vegetative state.and being fed directly into your stomach with a tube.Never to enjoy the taste of food or beverage again.
Never having thought or idea,or dreams.I would think there would be pain involved in the state shes in.Her muscles must be contracturing.And as someone who has had back surgery,and had this happen in my recovery period that is painful.And I keep hearing about this money her husband will recieve.What money?Her care must have about depleted that.And what are these Lawyers doing.Working for nil,nada,nothing.
As I said,just my thoughts,and mine alone.I know personally,I would have wanted that tube pulled long ago.
Margy.
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It’s a personal decision and it’s a family struggle that has gone public. I also agree with Kip and Laura about this and the baseball issue. These are distractions from real work Congress needs to do. It’s so frustrating!
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This is *completely* a Democratic issue: it’s about both rights that come with marriage, and government interference in individual decisions.
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Why congress has to waste their time with this I will never know….instead of focusing on the major issues they choose to listen to a bunch a baseball players one day and worry about the life of one single individual the next….what are we paying these people for again?
Personally I couldn’t give a crap about whether baseball players are taking steroids or not, let baseball worry about that….
and if Terry’s husband wants her feeding tube removed then remove the damn tube because he is responsible for her and no one else….
We need to let congress know that they need to stop dicking around and focus on issues that are important…have they solved social security yet…nope, because all of them will be living wealthy and secure lives while we suffer from higher prices and lower wages….Maybe if we stopped spending money taking over other countries we could afford to extend social security further….
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Having been party to pulling the plug on my brother-in-law and agreeing to uphold the living will of another relative who refused feeding tubes and hydration, I do not feel a party to murder. Nobody wants to end their life this way, but I sincerely believe nobody wants to live their life this way either.
Make a living will, people.
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Well this is what I think about this whole situation.I have been keeping up with the case and I do not like what is going on not at all.I just wonder what is going on in this man’s mind?He does not want Terry around.but he does not stop to think about her parent’s and this horrible nightmare they are being forced to go through.I believe the woman is alive.For one thing she is not on a ventilator.She is able to breath on her own. And so what if she has to be fed through her stomache by a feeding tube,Why does any one really care how she is fed.Beleive it or not there are a lot of people out there that have to be fed witha tube but we do’nt cut there lives short because of it so why would we do this to her just because her husband said that she would not want to live this way we do’nt have proof of this how we do’nt know that he is not lying and if it were true why did he wait so long to speak up why did he start physical therapy on her and her to start to have progress and just stop.He does not care like he say’s he does because if he did he would not be with another woman and having children with this woman and he think’s this is okay.I do’nt think he should not have a say in it.He should have lost that right when he started having children with another woman.I mean what happened to the phrase,till death do us partfor richer or poorer in sickness and in health.Apparently this man did not take his vow’s very serious.And why is everyone worried about who pay’s for this because we pay for so much more in this country and we want to starve this woman we would not want this happening to our children because I tell you I beleive that I would be so grief stricken that there is no telling what i might say or do to keep my child alive.We are not going thru thisso you do’nt know until you do.And one more thing I think she was abused while she was married and he is afraid that she may get her voice back and tell every one what that night and I hope she does so she can tell every one what really happened and put this man away because this is not right.I am sorry I am going on and on but I am so pissed off tyhat every time I see that waste of space on TV I just want snatch him through the Tv and tell him likeit is and to put him in his place to say the least.
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You know this was a painful decision that obviously tore a family apart. They couldn’t settle it amongst themselves, so they took it to court. A judge has decided the issue over and over again. Why can’t we allow the judiciary to make a decision? Isn’t that what they were charged with doing? Why must this be tried again in the court of public opinion, with Congress and now the President attempting to step in? I really thought we structured around the rights of the individual, and of privacy. Her husband is her legal guardian. The courts have agreed with him. If we are really going to start passing laws to circumvent judicial decisions, we need to apply this to all cases. Not just the ones that pander to voter blocks.
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I like your point, Laura, about Democrats having better things to focus on.
But I wanted to add, this woman feels NO pain. None. Whatsoever. She has no brain, folks. Just fluid where her brain should be. There’s an intact brain stem which is responsible for breathing, digestion, blinking, etc. That’s it. No cognition. No feeling pain, joy, wet, dry, nothing. Nada.
So get over that argument, and come up with a better one for why the whole country is OBSESSED with a non-issue.
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This is a serious issue for Democrats. I don’t care what you think about feeding tubes or Michael Schiavo’s penis. The Republicans are spitting at the separation of powers. We will all live to regret this if we let it go.
Guardianship cases have been handled by the State courts for decades. Everything about the Schiavo case was textbook. Michael Schiavo didn’t even make the final determination about his wife’s wishes. In 1998 he filed a petition to ask the court to determine whether Terri would have wanted a tube. The court ruled that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that she wouldn’t. Over the years, the courts have heard all the Schindlers’ allegations of abuse, adultery, and avarice. They have been unconvinced.
You may not like the decisions that the judges made in this case, but you can’t just deny the authority of the State courts because you wouldn’t have made the same call. You actually have to show that the presiding judges made mistakes. The Schindlers haven’t even made that argument. All they’ve done is complain that the judges didn’t believe their side of the story. Well, tough.
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The point of this post was:
1. I’m a really bad speller
2. This issue won’t win the Democrats an election. Terry may or may not have/had much going on in the grey matter. I’m inclined to side with those who want to keep her alive, but I’ll let others make good points on that.
Look the primary purpose of a political party is to win elections. The secondary purpose of a party is win elections. The third is to win elections. Not to champion issues that affect one person or a small handful of people and that don’t have widespread support.
I agree with most commenters that this issue should never have gone to Congress, but I’m not sure that it is really a violation of separation of powers, Lindsay. We don’t really have complete separation of powers between the three branches of gov’t. Each branch has checks on the other. Senate nominates SC justices. SC can rule laws passed by congress unconstitional. Congress can impeach the president. yadda. yadda. They have overlapping responsibilities.
And in matters between the states and the federal gov’t, the federal gov’t always wins. In the past, the federal gov’t has had to step into state business many times usually over issues related to civil rights. It’s funny how positions have become reversed. I keep meaning to write a post about federalism.
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Let’s keep this in perspective: the reason why this has gone to Congress is that the Republican leadership in both houses has latched on to it to make political points with their conservative religious base. That’s it. Delay gets the added benefit of distracting attention away from his own ethics problems. It is obscene that Frist has come up with the idea to call her as a witness for a Congressional investigation: a cynical abuse of power. On the substance of the issue, whatever we think, we should not call the husband a killer. Please note that he spent a great deal of time and effort when she first fell ill to get her aggressive care. Here is a timeline(taken from the web site Abstract Appeal):
February 1990… Terri suffers cardiac arrest and a severe loss of oxygen to her brain
May 1990… Terri leaves hospital and is brought to a rehabiliation center for aggressive therapy
July 1990… Terri is brought to the home where her husband and parents live; after a few weeks, she is brought back to the rehabilitation center
November 1990… Terri is taken to California for experimental therapies
January 1991… Terri is returned to Florida and placed at a rehabilitation center in Brandon
July 1991… Terri is transfered to a skilled nursing facility where she receives aggressive physical therapy and speech therapy
The California therapy included placing electrodes in her brain to try to stimulate activity. The husband did not file to have the feeding tube removed until 1998 – eight years after the initial attack.
Now, several stories could be told here, but it is entire plausible that he tried hard, for years, to rehabilitate her, but only after eight years did he come to realize that she would not “get better” and that she, herself, would not want to live in this state.
I can certainly understand why many would argue that her parents should be allowed to care for her – that is my own position on the matter – but it seems to me that forcing her to live a life she may not want to live is ethically problematic as well.
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I am a New Zealander who has visited your country and loved it and her people but I am amazed that when a number of court decisions are contrary to the beliefs of the President he rushes home to change the law. As for poor Terri, I know I would not want to be kept alive in her state.
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I am a New Zealander who has visited your country and loved it and her people but I am amazed that when a number of court decisions are contrary to the beliefs of the President he rushes home to change the law. As for poor Terri, I know I would not want to be kept alive in her state.
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If one consider the time spent as a wife to Michael Schiavo and the time spent being the daughter of her aging parents, who do you think cares more for that girl.
The husband has remade his life with another, and even have children, he should be divorced automaticaly. and the young woman Terry should go back to the care of her parents.
Comatose people, if not killed by medical care or interference, almost always wake up. i know a man who did just that about 8 years ago, about 7 months after his father considered pulling the plug. And he postponed it again and again but was more and more decided to do it. Well. one day he came and wondering if this would be the day, he noticed his son eyes very alive and trying to express something. In no time, less than a week, he could talk and soon sit and ask all sort of question. He never wanted to die, in spite of having said the opposite while he was well. he is still in a wheel chair but he is productive and happy with his very happy father. it came very close to be different.
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To all of you who are in favour of this, you are either ignorant or cold callous human beings. Three years ago to this day my late father was starved and dehydrated to death, also against my will. Up to today I still feel anger and sadness – see my website http://www.isaacvolkwyn.com. Think again after reading how cruel this is!
According to Dr. Lieberman, at UCLA Medical Center, Terri will suffer tremendously. He said: “When the body is starved it has to ‘eat itself’ in order to provide energy to continue vital functions. Weight loss can reach 50%, meaning Terri will become a living skeleton. Eventually, her heart and lungs will fail – unless she is first overcome by infection due to compromised immunity. Total starvation is generally fatal in 8-12 weeks. By denying Terri water as well, she would die sooner – perhaps within 2 weeks, after anxiety, seizures, falling blood pressure, confusion and coma. Two weeks is a long time to suffer.
Dr. David Stevens. executive director of the conservative Christian Medical and Dental Associations said that initial effects of the lack of hydration will include extreme thirst, nausea, and cramping. Her skin will dry out and become wrinkled as fluids are drawn from the skin to hydrate the organs. He said: “She’s likely to become dizzy and begin to have cramping in her arms and legs. That’s because her electrolytes – her sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes in her blood – start getting out of whack because of lack of fluids….She’ll see decreased secretions. If she tries to cry, she won’t be able to make tears very well, if at all. Her mouth will become dry and saliva thick. You can have cracking of the (mucous membranes) of the mouth and lips as they dry out. People often get headaches, then (become) lethargic and finally go into coma. It actually can cause seizures. As it progressively gets worse, what happens (are) the physical signs. Her blood pressure will drop, her heart rate will pick up. She’ll actually, ultimately go into shock. You just don’t have enough fluid to keep your blood pressure up, and it drops so low, and that sometimes can be a terminal event, or an arrhythmia of her heart. Her blood will get thicker. Sometimes, people who are severely dehydrated will actually have strokes just because the blood gets so thick that it clots. It’s not a pretty picture….If they sedate her, she could be semi-conscious or unconscious while this is going on. It’s not a very pleasant experience, unlike what the Hemlock Society and other groups try to make you believe.”
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You carelessly use the term vegetative state, but have little or no understanding of the meaning of the words/terminology. Terri is not brain dead and is not on any life-support system. If it had not been for that bastard who calls himself her husband, some of the money she was awarded could have been used on rehab. Let’s face it, he does not give a damn about her – he is soo concerned about his soon to be new bride and what’s left of Terri”s money. Why after all these years was he fighting to keep her parents from accepting responsibilty for her? No, it was NOT out of love for Terri. And to think that 56% of you Americans who agree with her murder still fell for his lies. How many of you have bothered to look at the the website her family started? Read about what trash her husband really is. I watched my father die – and no, it does not take as long as they say – she will die of thirst and hunger much sooner than they say and it will be a dreadfully painful way to die and for her family to watch. Those who love her and are with her now will NEVER forget. God help all of you who are in favour of this and may God help you when your next of kin commits you to die like a dog.
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I have found it so hard to believe that so many people are saying it is fine to starve this lady to death. There are so many inconsistencies so what is wrong in allowing her to have further tests to establish she is in a persistent vegetative state? It appears that the courts for whatever reasons have ignored all the doctors and nurses who claim she does react to those around her?I may not want to live like that but I would want to make darn sure that there was absolutely no hope.If she had had therapy, many say she could get better.Why not try the therapy and then see what happens?Why murder her now?Many of you might say it has been 15 years but her husband has denied the therapy and further testing during this time.This is cruelty to the upmost degree.Let her live!Please! Someone needs to do something to save her life~
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First of all, above everything else we as humans have the right to live and die with dignity. Are we forgetting that Terri was bulemic and was killing herself slowly. This is what put her into this state to begin with. Unfortunately, she was not given the care she needed BEFORE dropping into a vegetative state. If she was in therapy for her eating disorder, this whole point would be mute. But she wasn’t.
Congress, the President, the Governor and other elected officials have no place making these decisions for a person. This is a personal matter and should be handled in the family. Once she married Michael, her parents no longer have any custodial issues over her. The decision should be between her and her spouse. If Terri’s wish was not to live on life support, shouldn’t this be her right.
I, for one, would never allow myself or my spouse to be in a vegetated state for a year let alone fifteen. Image what life is like for the family.
I think her parents need to do some praying and put some closure on the whole situation. She is not really living, she is existing. She has no thoughts, no fun, no pain, no ambition. What is left for her? A long grooling existance on a feeding tube.
No, life is precious, and also fragile. Life should be exciting. Existing on a feeding tube without a conscience is just putting off the inevitable longer than necessary.
I feel for the families and for those of you who have had to deal with similiar circumstances. I lost my Grandfather to an illness when he refused any life support but we had closure knowing he went on to Heaven and is waiting for us there. While I understand the pain, I think her parents are being selfish by keeping her alive. Remember, this body is just a shell for our souls, when we leave it we are present with the Lord and that is where I would prefer to be.
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It never fails to amaze me how we can all pick and choose what and whom to believe when it suits us and ignore facts. Ms. Schiavo is not starving to death. She has not tasted food nor drank water or any other liquid for 15 years. She has had liquid nourishment pumped into her stomach for 15 years without anyone knowing nor caring whether she was nauseated,whether she could taste it,whether it was repugnant to her.
Here is a woman who controlled every bite and every sip she took into her mouth for years.She suffered from an illness that resulted in her present condition–SHE controlled what she ate and what nourishment remained in her–she truly starved her self. I have worked in long term care for many years and cannot imagine a worse fate than existing in such a state as she has for so many years.I sympathize with her family but my heart goes out to her.
The privacy of my patients has always been a concern as it has for all health care professionals. I have seen a mockery made of Ms. Schiavios right to privacy–videos of her feeding tube plastered all over the so called ‘news’ channels,nurses discussing her condition and family in public(Ihope someone has the sense to yank their licence to practice).
How many of you have signed privacy right statements at pharmacy,dentist,pcp,gynecologist,opthomologist? After this fiasco will they mean anything?–Ask Congress–they passed the law!!!
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This is the total opposite of death with dignity. From the very little we’ve seen in the media of Terri BEFORE her illness, it’s clear she was a beautiful, lively woman who knew her own mind. Her parents’ greed for publicity has taken that all away from her. Now all we see is the static, open-mouthed-grinning shell that this horrible illness left. Is that how they want to remember her? Well, sadly, that’s what most of the country will remember. Let the poor soul finally go! The only people profiting from this tragedy are the parents (and I’ll bet anything they have a book deal pending), the ignorant bible-thumpers and the right-wing politicians who are riding the wave of throwback neo-conservatism gripping our misguided country under the present administration.
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Anyone have a chance to hear the truth? Her medical records? Court transcripts? Not that I’ve seen here. How was it again that her pelvis, back, etc. were broken in the alleged collapse? After seven years of trying to rehabilitate her he gave up? No, after seven years he won the medical malpractice lawsuit. Anyone here ever look a sociopath in the eyes and recognize them for what they are? It’s actually quite obvious to anyone that doesn’t have their head planted in their nether regions. Poor misunderstood Michael.
To KK, Michael Schiavo’s “story” is that his wife was bulimic. Must be factual.
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Please have Terrie’s parents file for a legal divorce from this man and stop him in his murderous tracks. Why can’t she divorce him, for inhumain treatment. she deserves this much. Even murderers get better treatment on death row. God bless Terry
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A few thoughts on the Schiavo case:
a) Whatever Terri’s specific condition, we do not know, but there are hundreds of doctors on BOTH sides who think she may or may not be rehabilitated.
b) But who is to determine when life is no longer worth fighting for? Family? judges? congress? and how exactly are judges any better than congress?? probably the best answer is, those who love you and will bear the responsibility of your medical care. Does Michael still love Terri? we are in no position to say. but is he responsible for her medical care? no. the parents began a foundation and have received support for her care.
c) There is also no consensus among the “family” about whether or not her feeding should be continued. I say family in quote because Michael does not deserve to be called her husband for obvious reasons– a wife and 2 children– not exactly your courageously dutiful Nancy Reagan or Mrs. Reeve. Michael has a right to “move on,” but does he have a right to have it both ways?
d) Why did he never mention Terri’s “wish to die” in the first several years of the proceedings? Folks, that’s a really long time to keep quiet about something so central. There are even accounts that he made statements that they were 25 at the time and did not know what they wanted. whether or not he did say this, his silence regarding specific wishes of Terri for YEARS goes to the core of his credibility and is impossible to ignore.
e) Rightly or not, when issues such as this are thrust into the public, the best we can hope for is that we all learn something from this tragedy. I know I have.
and for kicks, very disturbing comments previously posted here re: terri (my own brief thoughts are in caps):
1) “and if Terry’s husband wants her feeding tube removed then remove the damn tube because he is responsible for her and no one else.” WHAT WOMAN WILL SAY, LIVE WITH ANOTHER WOMAN AND HAVE CHILDREN WITH HER AND PLS, I STILL WANT TO BE DEPENDENT ON ONLY YOU. SURE GIVES ‘TILL DEATH DO US PART’ A WHOLE NEW MEANING.
2) “Why can’t we allow the judiciary to make a decision?” …BECAUSE, AS A LAWYER, I CAN SAFELY SAY, JUDGES ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. NEWSFLASH: THEY DO NOT ALWAYS FOLLOW THE LAW, AND BETTER STILL, THEY DO NOT ALWAYS FOLLOW UNITED STATES LAW, SO SHORT OF THE STORY, THEY SHOULD NOT BE BEYOND REPROACH.
3) “this woman feels NO pain. None. Whatsoever. She has no brain, folks. Just fluid where her brain should be. There’s an intact brain stem which is responsible for breathing, digestion, blinking, etc. That’s it. No cognition. No feeling pain, joy, wet, dry, nothing. Nada.” WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR MEDICAL DEGREE AND WHEN EXACTLY DID YOU EXAMINE TERRI?
4) “She has no thoughts, no fun, no pain, no ambition. What is left for her? A long grooling existance on a feeding tube… Life should be exciting.” VERY DISTURBING EXPRESSION OF WHAT THIS INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERS IMPORTANT IN LIFE.
5) “she truly starved herself.” I GUESS THE JUDICIAL ORDERS DID NOTHING AT ALL.
6) “Now all we see is the static, open-mouthed-grinning shell that this horrible illness left. Is that how they want to remember her?” HOW EXACTLY DO YOU GLADLY DESCRIBE A LIVING, BREATHING HUMAN BEING AS A SHELL?
7) Michael Schiavo needs to be the one who has his tube pulled. THAT’S NOT THE IDEA, FRIEND.
8) ignorant bible-thumpers and the right-wing politicians who are riding the wave of throwback neo-conservatism gripping our misguided country under the present administration. I SAVED THIS FOR LAST BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY MADE ME SIMILE, SINCE I THINK THE WRITER IS JUST BITTER… SOMEBODY A LITTLE SAD THAT PEOPLE ARE CONSISTENTLY PRO-LIFE? UNFORTUNATELY, WE “BIBLE-THUMPERS” STAND BY OUR BELIEFS IN AND OUT OF SEASON, SO GET OVER IT.
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Hallo!
What do we really know about life?
Science, just medicine science are very developed-but to me life have an mysteric dimension. I want to respect the differnet forms of life. May be Mrs. Shiavo
can impress life in a dimension, we can´t really recognice?
This are auestions. I can not gibe any answers therefore, but i want to be very carefully belonging to this questions. The medicine Albert Schweitzer believed in this respect to life. He founded a hospital in the tropc forest to save poor people,i cant say, what he would do actually today, but i believe to his main view on life, that we should all states of life. We have to work again suffer and pain, but did terry really suffer before there was put away the feeding tube? May be she could feel the love from their familiy? There are so many things, we can not say.
Please let Terry live.
Sincerly Thomas Schüller from Germany
(Please excuse my mistakes in language, i hope you can understand me)
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Ok this whole thing is blown way out of proportion. The poor woman is brain dead and lives by a feeding tube. I would not want to live if I had to live like that and I dont think anyone would. Let the poor woman die I mean come on it’s been 15 years! I think that is definetly enough, let her go.
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Now that Terry Schiavo has died, any argument seems pretty futile. However, several things have sprung to mind over the last few days:
1. Terry Schiavo should have been represented in court. Apparently, a request was made that she have a guardian ad litem, but the request was turned down. This is sad – someone able to stand up before the court directly on her behalf may have helped. What they would have said, of course, is another matter – she was hardly in a position to give instructions, but still…..perhaps some expert testimonies on what it may be like to starve to death might have helped focus the judges thoughts?
2. It is hard to reconcile the way we treat animals who are unlikely to recover from illness (lethal injection as a quick, painless and humane method of lessening suffering) with the way that Terry was killed. I cannot imagine what it must be like to starve to death, and to inflict that way on someone you love seems incredibly cruel – and no one could say for sure what level of awareness she had.
3. It must be a fundamental, surely, that just because someone is not able to tell you directly how they are feeling or have the level of autonomy they once had that they would be better off dead? Many many people above have said that they wouldn’t want to “live the life she had” – HOW DO YOU KNOW? We cannot possibly imagine what her state of mind was, but we can say that of all fellow humans, and to assume, simply because we find it difficult or disturbing that her life was of no value. That has to be a dangerous path to tread.
4. Further to this point – how would a living will help? I could make a living will now, which would say that if I am ever in a similar situation to Terry, that I would not wish to be fed. HOW CAN I POSSIBLY SAY. I may as well try and imagine how I would feel if I were whisked off to Mars in a spaceship. A living will only helps those who have to make the difficult decision, and perhaps eleviates the guilt – we will not then be able to say to that loved one DID YOU REALLY MEAN IT? IS THIS THE TYPE OF SITUATION YOU MEANT?
5. Last point, sorry to go on – I agree with CES above – Judges can be wrong. We have seen it time and time and time again. People have been sent to the gallows because Judges got it wrong.
My heart goes out to Terry’s family – to watch your daughter die a long, slow death must be a totally unbearable nightmare.
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Amanda, Terry had a guardian ad litum, his name was Jay Wolfsom, he agreed with the courts.
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“Amanda, Terry had a guardian ad litum, his name was Jay Wolfsom, he agreed with the courts”
Is it not the case that Jay Wolfson was discharged and took no part in the more recent court hearings after making his initial report?
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Thank god that’s over. Now all those people holding vigil at the hospice can go back to their real life’s work — bashing gays and picketing abortion clinics. And maybe Terri’s folks will at last find time for a TV interview or two.
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